Greeley woman behind drug operation gets 20 years

GREELEY, Colo. (Weld County D.A.) - The woman behind one of Weld County's largest drug distribution enterprises will spend the next two decades behind bars.

Elizabeth Navarro was sentenced to 20 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with the intent to distribute and money laundering.

Navarro was arrested in May 2016 after a nine-month investigation by the Weld County Drug Task Force into the sale and supply of illegal drugs in the county. At today's sentencing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wrenn detailed the length Navarro went to for the operation, like importing the drugs from Mexican cartels and hiding drugs in her child's bedroom.

During its investigation, the task force recovered more than 20 pounds of meth, a pound of heroin, six pounds of processed marijuana, 300 marijuana plants, nine handguns and more than $110,000 in cash.

In total, 31 people were charged throughout the course of the investigation. Each co-defendant played different roles, from running and selling drugs to laundering money. According to investigators, Navarro was one of the primary distributors.

“Defendants like this prey upon peoples' addictions,” said Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke. “She created an opportunity that took advantage of addicts while they were at their lowest for her own profit and gain. This community is absolutely safer with her behind bars for the next 20 years.”